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Postgraduate Research Support Scheme
The Postgraduate Research Support Scheme (PRSS) provides University funding to attend conferences, support your fieldwork or specialist services.
- Overview and funding
- Eligibility
- How to apply
Overview and funding
Postgraduate Research Support Scheme
Postgraduate Research Support Scheme (PRSS) is a scheme introduced by the University in 2001 to provide direct support for currently enrolled postgraduate research students, the scheme distributes $1.5 million in funding.
Under the scheme, eligible students can apply for funding to their relevant school or faculty and are notified of the outcome after a ranking process has been completed. Selection committees will consider the quality of an applicant's research progress relative to opportunity and stage of candidature, demonstrated need for funding, and priorities, if any, placed on the different expenditure categories by the Faculty or School.
PRSS Round 1 in 2021 is open on Monday 19 April and applications will close at 11.59pm on Sunday 23 May.
PRSS and travel
PRSS is discretionary funding and is therefore subject to the safeguarding measures developed by the University on 3 March 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that international travel is not likely to be covered by insurance, therefore students should not be travelling until it is declared safe to do so. PRSS funding can still be used for conference registration in 2021, as many conferences are set up using virtual attendance. It cannot be used for intended travel beyond 2021.
Applications for funding to support domestic travel will be considered, however applicants must complete a risk assessment form prior to travel and include it in the supporting documents when submitting an application. Access the risk assessment form. You need to ensure you are aware of COVID-related domestic travel restrictions for the state(s) you intend to visit and that travel advice may change with little or no notice.
Funding categories
Due to COVID-19, there are restrictions on conference expenses. You should refer to your faculty or school PRSS guidelines to check whether any conference expenses may be applied for in your discipline.
You may be eligible if you author and present, or author and are accepted to present, a paper or poster related to your research. You are not eligible to apply under this category if you attend a conference without presenting, or if you present a paper or poster you have not authored. If you select conference expenses as a funding category in your application, you will need to provide additional details, which will be used to assess your eligibility for funding in this category.
You can obtain funding for use of specialist services, a visit to use specialist facilities or learning specialist techniques. Expenses are directly related to your research and beyond what’s provided by your school or department.
You can obtain funding for field expenses related to your research. Funding cannot be used for infrastructure costs normally covered by your school or department.
Funding is available for items that are essential to your research, but which are not normally available or are difficult to obtain at the University.
You can obtain funding for equipment that is essential to your research and outside the normal infrastructure provided by your school or department.
You can apply provided you do not hold a scholarship and will submit your thesis in the same calendar year. Printing costs will not be covered, as your thesis is submitted electronically.
Funding available
You are only eligible to receive a maximum of $3500 per year in PRSS funding. Applications may be submitted for funding across one or more of the funding categories described above. You should refer to your faculty or school PRSS guidelines to check their restrictions on the number of categories you may apply for in one application.
Last updated: 24 May 2021
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